Mail-box hanger.



F. BELL.

MAIL BOX HANGER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 1, 1912.

1,046,251 Patented Dec. 3, 1912.

f/ j a 1% lriventor Attorneys FRED BELL, OF DETROIT, TEXAS.

MAIL-BOX HANGER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec.3,1912.

Application filed August 1, 1912. Serial No 712,748.

To all whom 2'25 may concern Be it known that I, FRED BELL, a citizen of the United Statearesiding at Detroit, in the county of Red River and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Mail-Box Hanger, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a hanger for rural mail boxes and aims primarily to provide a hanger for mail boxes which are supported fro-1n a post or other object at the side of a road or thoroughfare in order that the rural mail carrier may readily manipu late the mail box to place the mail therein without driving his vehicle into the ditch usually along the side of the road, which hanger is so constructed that the mail box will return to a normal elevated position when the same is freed.

It is also the object of the present invention to provide a hanger of the character indicated which shall be simple, substantial, durable, compact and inexpensive in construction, as well as convenient, eflicient, and serviceable in its use.

YVith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combi nation and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention has been illustrated in its preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters have been employed to denote corresponding parts, and wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the hanger as applied to a post, the mail box being in normal elevated position. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the mail box swung downward for the insertion of the mail by the carrier. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the device, with the parts as illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a fragmental detail. Fig. 5 is a fragmental detail in section.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the numeral 6 designates an inclined arm which is adapted to be secured at its lower end to the upper end of the usual post 7 at the side of the road so as to extend above the usual ditch at the side of the road, this arm 6 comprising a pair of spaced bars 8. Adjacent their lower ends the bars 8 are twisted or skewed, as designated by the numeral 9 to lie flat upon the upper end of the post- 7 and the lower ends are bent angularly downward over the back of the post, as designated by the numeral 10. A cross strip 11 extends between the portions 9 and screws, nails or other securing members are passed through the strip 11, and the portions 9 and 10 into the post in order to retain the arm 6 in position. The upper ends of the bars 8 are oif-- set inwardly or toward each other, as designated by the numeral 12.

A lever 13 passes between the upper ends 12 of the bars 8, said lever comprising a pair of bars 14 secured together by rivets or other securing members. A bolt 15 is passed I through the upper ends 12 of the bars 8 and through the bars 14, so as to fulcrum the lever 13 at an intermediate point to the arm 6, the intermediate portions of the bars 14 being bowed apart between the upper ends 12 of the bars 8 in order to contact with the said ends of the bars 8 and in order to yield inwardly. Thus by tightening or loosening the bolt 15, the frictional contact between the upper ends 12 of the bars 8 and the bars 14 may be increased or diminished so as to permit the lever 13 to swing less freely or more freely, as desirable or essential. A weight 16 is secured between one of the ends of the bars 14 at one end of the lever 18 and is designed to pass between the bars 8 of the arm 6 when the lever is swung so as to bring the other end outward and downward, as seen in Fig. 2. The other ends of the bars 14 are offset outwardly or away from each other in order to provide a fork 17. The mail box 18, which may be of any preferred type, is hung loosely between V the arms of the fork 17 so that the mail box may swing between the arms of the fork 17 and remain vertical at all positions of the lever 13. This mail box 18 is provided with the usual signal or flag 19 which may be manipulated to designate when the mail box is empty or when the same contains mail.

A chain or other flexible member 20 is attached to one arm of the fork 17 in order to convenience the lowering of the mail box, especially by children. It will thus follow that when the rural mail carrier wishes to deposit mail in the mail box 18, he may readily swing the lever 13 toward him so as to bring the mail box in position adjacent or above his carriage, wagon or the like, it

not being necessary for him to drive into the ditch at the side of the road as is customary when the mail box is attached directly to the post. After the mail has been deposited in the mail box, the lever is released, in which event, the weight 16 will return the lever to erect or vertical position so as to elevate the mail box. The mail box is thus swung out of position above the road so as not to be in the way of passing vehicles. hen the mail is to be removed from the mail box 18 by the owner, lever 13 may be readily swung so as to bring the mail box into a convenient position for removing the mail, this being facilitated by the chain 20, particularly in the case of children, so that the mail box may be swung below the arm 6. After the mail has been removed, the mail box will be again returned to normal position by the weight 16.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the drawings, the advantages of the present hanger will be apparent, and it will be observed that the objects aimed at have been carried out in a satisfactory manner.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A mail box hanger embodying a pair of spaced supporting bars having one of the ends free, a lever having intermediate portions that are bowed apart to yield inwardly, the bowed portions being arranged between the free ends of the said bars, and a fulcrum member passing through the free ends of the bars and through the lever and designed to be tightened to clamp the bars against the lever, the upper end of the lever being designed to hold a mail box and the lower end being weighted.

2. A mail box hanger embodying a pair of spaced supporting bars having one of their ends free, a lever comprising two bars secured together and bowed apart at intermediate portions so as to yield inwardly, the bowed portions of the latter bars being arranged between the free ends of the for mer bars, and the upper ends of the latter bars being offset outwardly provide a fork in which a mail box is adapted to be hung, and a fulcrum member passing through the free ends of the former bars and through the latter bars and designed to be tightened to clamp the former bars against the latter bars, the lower end of the lever being weighted.

3. A mail box hanger embodying an inclined arm comprising a pair of spaced bars designed to be secured at their lower ends to a support and having their upper. ends offset inwardly, a lever comprising two bars secured together and bowed apart at their intermediate portions so as to yield in wardly, the bowed portions of the latter bars being arranged between the upper ends of the former bars and the upper ends of the latter bars being offset outwardly to provide a fork, a fulcrum bolt passing through the upper ends of the former bars and through the latter bars to clamp the ends of the former bars against the latter bars, a mail box hung between the arms of the said fork, and a weight attached to the other end of the lever and adapted to swing between the former bars.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRED BELL.

Witnesses:

J. A. SHEPPARD, KMO BUNOUM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

